Welding-electrode holder



Filed June 5, 1935 //v VEN r02 flames 041/1050 Arr-calve- Y5 PatentedAug. 21, 1934 UNITED STATES PATEN'I OFFICE:

1 Claim.

This invention relates to welding apparatus and, more particularly, toelectric arc-welding.

It is one of the objects of the invention to provide a welding-electrodeholder that will be more convenient to use, safer, and more efficientthan the electrode holders that have been heretofore used for handwelding.

A further object of the invention is to provide a holder that will becapable of permitting a greater portion of the electrode to be. used upthan is possible with holders now in use, thereby effecting a saving inthe cost of electrodes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a holder that will becapable of use in places that would not be accessible to holders now inuse and that is so constructed that there will be no short-circuiting ofthe current when the holder accidentally comes in contact with the work.

A further object of the invention is to provide a holder that will becapable of use with electrodes of different diameters and that will beadjustable to compensate for any wear that occurs in its parts.

A further object of the invention is to provide a holder that may beeasily taken apart and reassembled and the working parts of which willbe protected from sparks and therefore remain in a clean condition.

Other objects of the invention and the features of novelty will beapparent from the following description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing, of which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section ofa'holder embodying my invention; and I Fig. 2 is a transverse section onthe line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, 10 indicates a tubular metallic stem having ahead 11 welded or otherwise secured thereto. The head 11 has a taperinglongitudinal bore 12 and a transverse opening 13, this opening beingadapted to receive the weldelectrode or rod 14. The head 11 is coveredby a cap 15 of insulating material, preferably a mica compound that willwithstand the heat and sparks to which it is subjected.

The other end of the stem 10 is externally threaded, as indicated at 16,and arranged in the threaded opening 17 in the casting 18. The casting18 is preferably of circular form with a flattened portion 19 on oneside, as indicated in Fig. 2. The casting 18 has an axially extendingarm 20 provided with a head 21 which acts as an abutment for one end ofthe spring 22. A lug 23 is arranged on thehead 21 and extends into thespring 22 so as to hold the latter in position. A

plunger rod 24 extends longitudinally through the stem 10 and thecasting 18 and carries a pin 25 which is engaged by the upper end of thespring 22. The other end of the plunger rod 24 has welded or otherwisesecured thereto a head 26, of copper or other suitable material, whichis adapted to press against the welding electrode 14 and clamp thelatter in the opening 13.

A tubular handle 27 has oneend telescoped over the casting 18 andsecured thereto by the screws 28. A trigger 29 is pivoted to thereinforcing web 30 of the arm 20, as indicated at 31, and projectsthrough a slot 32, in the handle 27, so as to be operable from theexterior of the handle. The protruding portion of the trigger 29 iswrapped with tape or other insulating'material, as indicated at 33.

A cup-shaped insulator 34 encloses the member 18 and is secured thereonby the nut 35, and this nut also acts as a lock nut for the threadedconnection between the stem 10 and the member 18 and insures tightengagement of the threads so as to make good electrical contacttherebetween for transmitting the welding current from the member 18 tothe stem 10. The insulator 34 surrounds the heads of the screws 28 andprotects the latter so that, when the holder is laid on a metallicsurface, there will be no opportunity for short-circuiting the currentthrough the screws 28.

A flexible conductor 36 is arranged within the tubular handle 2'7 andhas a terminal 37, which is secured to the member 18 by the screws 38,and a terminal 39 which is connected with a terminal 40 on a cable 41,by means of the bolt 42. The cable 41 represents the usual cable forsupplying the welding current, and it will be noted that the connectionsbetween the cable 41 and the member 18 are within the handle 27 andeffectively insulted thereby.

As illustrated in Fig. 1, the holder is ready for use and it will benoted that the pressure of the spring 22 will clamp the welding rod 14into the position shown. The spring 22 will also allow the plunger toclamp welding rods of different diameters. The copper tip 26 will besubjected to a certain amount of wear, in service, and to compensate forthis wear, it is desirable to have the stem 10 adjustable in the member18, and such adjustment may be made by loosening the lock nut 35 andturning the stem to move it in";- or out, as may be necessary, and thentightening the nut 35. A further adjustment is provided by means of theadditional opening 43 in the plunger 24 to receive the pin 25. The stem10 is wrapped with tape 44 or otherwise covered by insulation material.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that I have provideda form of weldingelectrode holder that will be safe in use, because ofthe insulation of all external metal surfaces that might be liable tocontact with the work, and that will be convenient to use and in whichthe working parts are thoroughly housed and protected from flyingsparks, so that these working parts will remain clean and be capable ofoperating efliciently over long periods. The manner of mounting andsecuring the welding-electrode insures convenience in operation, andalso renders the device capable of use in relatively inaccessibleplaces.

All of the working parts of the holder are readily accessible foradjustment and repair when necessary, throughhaving the tubular handle27 removable by simply loosening the screws 28.

While I have illustrated and described what I now consider to be thepreferred embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent that variouschanges in the details of construction that have been illustrated anddescribed may be made without departing from the spirit of the inventionas defined in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A welding-electrode holder comprising a tubular stem having a transverseopening in one end to receive the welding electrode and having its otherend threaded, a circular member having an opening in which the threadedend of said stem is adjustably secured, said member having an integralarm projecting therefrom on the side opposite from said stem, a tubularhandle of insulating material surrounding said member and said arm andsecured to said member by screws, a spring-pressed plunger extendingthrough said stem and engageable with said electrode to secure thelatter in said transverse opening, a trigger operatively connected withsaid plunger and projecting laterally through said handle, a cupshapedinsulator abuttingagainst said member and having a flange surroundingbut spaced from the adjacent end of said handle, a nut on said stem forsecuring said cup-shaped insulator in position and also for locking saidstem in adjust-- ment, and means for securing an electrical conductor tosaid arm within said handle.

JAMIES DAVIDSON.

